Category Archives: newsletter

Several events are being planned to mark this including the Summer Fayre at Heathfield which will be on Saturday 4th July 2015.

If you have any thoughts on what you would like, or you have any current information about yourself or other OWs please share it with us. We have a newsletter going to press on September 22nd so what are you waiting for!?
Let those fingers do the talking and send your news/thoughts to info@oldwolvernians.org.uk

Following the great success of the relocated dinner last year, we are again holding our dinnerat the City Inn, Birmingham.

Those of you who missed last year’s dinner may like to know that we had a good turnout across the full spectrum of leaving years, with attendees from Sebright, Heathfield Prep and Heathfield at the dinner. City Inn provided us with the best banquet food we have had in a very long time and all their staff were so accommodating. I can highly recommend that you come along and enjoy a wonderful evening of friendship and humour, reminiscences and re-acquaintance with your school pals.

Already we know of the following OWs who are contacting their peers to attend the Dinner:-

If you would like to contact any of these Year Organisers or indeed find your Year for the dinner, please contact me so I can pass on details to you. Please use the enclosed blue form for your ticket applications and note that the closing date is November 11th.

The timings are 730pm for Champagne reception and 8pm for dinner, carriages from 1130pm, hotel bar open until the very small hours (I am told at least 430am last year!).

I hope to see you on the 13th November 2010 for what I know will be another very enjoyable

evening!

Those of you who have to travel, or who decide to make a weekend of the evening, will be

impressed by the 238 spacious rooms, all with excellent facilities with iMac computers,

The OW Committee recorded a vote of thanks to Denys at our AGM in November 2009 to thank him very much for all his hard work as Chairman of the Chapel Fund.

FURTHER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

* Remembrance Service 2010

Being held at Wolverley High School at 5pm on Saturday 13th November 2010 to

commemorate those OWs that have fallen in conflicts from the First World War to present day. Please feel free to come along and pay your respects, whether or not you can also make the Dinner afterwards.

* AGM 2010

The AGM – your chance to have your say about the Organisation and it takes place immediately prior to the Dinner at the City Inn, Birmingham at 18:15hrs, Saturday 13th November 2010.

* Golf 2011 Friday 13th May 2011, is the date for your diaries for golf and dinner, or just dinner. The course is due to change to a new venue, and this will be notified to you shortly. Would all Golfers kindly phone the Secretary or email golf@oldwolvernians.org.uk to register an interest or to notify us that you are a golfer. I understand that the levels of players vary greatly, so all standards are welcomed! This will be an ideal start to the 50th Anniversary Celebrations on Saturday 14th May.

* Garden Party 2011

Returning to its usual date, after this year’s postponement due to the building works, the

the Year of 1983 organised a meal to coincide with Catherine’s visit to the UK from Perth,

Australia earlier this summer.

They found almost all of their year using Facebook, discovering a fair proportion of contemporaries now living in the States but finding many others much nearer to “home”. They achieved a turnout of 26 for a reunion meal held at the Lyttelton Arms, Hagley in July. Several people had not been seen since leaving school in 1983 and a loud and lively evening of wine, food and much laughter was enjoyed by all. Everyone decided no one had changed at all despite the intervening 27 years – so all left with their egos suitably comforted! If you are planning a reunion and want assistance tracking down OWs please contact the

Secretary.

Facebook

Vicki Burrows (nee Stack, Heathfield 1986) has set up an Old Wolvernian Association Facebook page which includes the Annual Dinner, thank you Vicki; we would like to use this as a major form of electronic contact with our members. If you have an email address would you register on www.facebook.com – it’s free to do so and then join the Old Wolvernian Association page.

You’ll also be amazed by how many of your contemporaries you can find on here! (The 1983

Reunion Organisers rated it very highly).

OW Association Committee

The Committee is very keen to recruit additional members; we’d be really grateful if you can

commit to joining the OWAC for a total of four meetings a year. We would really appreciate

your help and more Committee members are desperately needed. Please do not be deterred by the “Committee” word – it is a fairly informal affair and they more idea-meetings than anything else! Please contact us if you think you can join and help us or perhaps have a skill that you can offer.

Please remember to use our website. I’m indebted once again to Richard Jackman for all his work in administering the site and making sure it is up to date. If you have photos from school we’d be grateful to receive these electronically (webmaster@oldwolvernians.org.uk) or send them recorded delivery to the Secretary in the post – with your name and address – and we’ll scan them and return the originals to you by the same safe method.

Database

We are progressing well with our work on the database; we are still anxious to have your email addresses and in the not too distant future we should be in a position to email you newsletters and reminders. If you haven’t sent us your email address or need to update it, you can do so via the website or by emailing info@oldwolverians.org.uk

Heathfield School

The GCSE results were excellent once again. 100% passed with 96.4% gaining A* – C including Maths, a Science & English. In the Daily Telegraph tables we came 297/435 in the list of Independent Schools which forwarded data. 48% achieved A* – A (46% in 2009). Six of the mathematicians took advanced Maths and achieved four As, one B and one C.

A new classroom block is being built at Heathfield with 5 classrooms and library for junior pupils, it will be open for January 2011. This is the exciting beginning of a phased plan of development at Heathfield aimed to replace the portacabin styled classrooms that many of you will recall.

In Thailand, Heathfield International School of Bangkok has recruited 18 new pupils and the roll is just over 200. There were no pupils taking IGCSEs this year. It has recently opened a new teaching block with three floors including two science labs, a computer suite, a library and more than 20 classrooms.

In October 2010 a party of 12 pupils and two staff from Heathfield International School

Bangkok are visiting Heathfield when a range of cultural, education and fun activities are being planned. Roger Brierly, Headmaster says “The pupils will be hosted by our families which will give them a very good experience, I hope!”

Roger reports that the School is excited about celebrating its 50th Anniversary next year and

welcoming back past pupils and those of the Sebright generations to join in the celebrations.

The OWA send their congratulations to all of the Year of 2010 for their wonderful achievements.

To India Morris who has been appointed Captain of School, Year of 2011 and to Henry Wright and Jack Simmonds who are Vice Captains of School.

DO YOU KNOW?

Andy Sayner, the youngest son of Sgt Major Tom Sayner BEM is anxious to put together as

much detail of his father’s life as possible. Andy writes “I used to spend a lot of time in my

school holidays at Bury Hall and the Armoury and wondered if you would ask your members if they would e-mail me with any stories / anecdotes they remember from my Father’s long time at Sebright. Hope you can help”. Andy can be contacted on Sayandy@aol.com; on 01952 814 551 or via the Secretary.

Andy has very kindly sent me the following information that he has already gathered about his father’s career. “Tom was in charge of the CCF at Sebright for over 30 years commencing in 1936 when he left the regular army having served since 1914 when he enlisted at the age of 18 to fight on the Somme.”

From a Birmingham post article, which was published when Tom retired in 1966; (the full article has been posted on our website), we are told that “The biggest moment of Tom’s school life was in 1959, when there was a parade at which Lieutenant-General Sir John Eldridge presented him with the BEM which he had been awarded in the New Year’s Honours List”

Andy tells me: “My only connection with the school was during long summer holidays when,

as a young boy, I spent most of my days with Dad in the Armoury at Bury Hall cleaning rifles!”

I hope you will be able to help Andy in his quest, and if you are, would you copy in the Secretary so that I can publish your reminiscences in the next Newsletter.

DOWN MEMORY LANE….

I am grateful to David Flack (Sebright 1961) for the following account:

“I did enjoy the reminisces in your last newsletter, and I thought you might like a flavour of

From this you will see that sport tended to dominate, sometimes to the detriment of my academic achievements it must be said. Cricket was my forte. I captained the U13s, U14s and Colts. Before each match I had to present the selected team to the Headmaster, R A Henniker-Gotley, for his signature of approval before I could pin it up on the notice board. He would usually ask how I felt about our chances and I would respond by saying that we were hopeful of success. Looking back I think that was a rather nice custom.

What really caught my attention when reading my Valete was the reference to the Running VIII. I hated cross country running. But at that time the Day Boys’ House was pretty useless at sport. So when it came to the inter- house cross country race I made a monumental effort “for the House”. I ran the race of a lifetime and finished around 9th or 10th I think. The result was that I got selected for the school team. Thanks a bundle!”.

David, thank you for giving us a flavour of the 1950/60s. I remember Mr Henniker-Gotley attending founder’s day after his retirement when I was at Heathfield; he, his wife and the dog would come for the weekend and camp in the school grounds.

Mohamed Dawood, (Sebright 1968), paslamd@yahoo.co.uk, emails “I went to Blundells School in 1998 to look the school over for my son, sadly Clive Gimson had passed away by then but did see a splendid portrait of him in the Library.

I think those of us circa 1966 to 1968 who lived at Knight House, lived very well indeed; the

food was exceptional except for Wednesdays when we had a cold dinner! I still remember

Cook’s excellent apple crumbles etc.etc.. We dined like gentlemen in the house when Mr Sinker was Housemaster and Mr Weir his deputy.

Some of us, as volunteers, planted the forest that is now at the roadside. My 1966 school photo showed a total roll of about 120 male pupils. I keep in touch after our reunion in Capetown with Joe, Saliem and other the Khans. My contact is M.Dawood, 9256 Sect 2, Taman Indah, Padang Jambu, Malacca, Malaysia.

Best wishes to one and all and if anyone is visiting Malaysia please contact me.”

him and other 1950 peers. His has three younger brothers, Neville, Timothy and Andrew, all

of whom are OWs, whom he also hopes to encourage to the Dinner. Godfrey won an Open

Scholarship to Oxford to read medicine and when Mr Henniker-Gotley announced his achievement in assembly he also announced the whole school would have a day’s holiday in celebration!

Don Cox (Sebright 1952) was at the 2009 dinner and signing copies of his excellent book,

“Finding Moses”, an archaeological adventure into great museums, journeys into the searing

Sinai, Negev, the Delta and finally to the burial place of Moses”, which I have greatly enjoyed

reading. My thanks to Don too for remembering his camera – his pictures from the dinner are

on our website.

Maurice Pound (Sebright Day Boy 1941 -1948) kindly writes that he has cherished the receipt of the magazine and newsletters and as a result has been able to put some old boys in touch with each other. Maurice can be contacted on squirrels500@googlemail.com. We also hope that Maurice managed to make contact with his peer Dougie W Pound?

Also to Michael Whiteman-Haywood (Heathfield 1984) who married Claire on 27th June

2009!

And to Jonathan and Samantha Herbert (Heathfield 1985) on their nuptials!

Ms Lara Reynolds, Granddaughter of David John Reynolds (Sebright 1940) would be thrilled

to hear from any of her Grandfather’s contemporaries and receive any copies of photos from

David’s period at school. Lara’s daughter was playing hockey against Heathfield recently

when she left her request with the school for us. Please forward any information to the Secretary.

In the Wolvernian Know

Andrew Thomas of Malvern is researching Worcestershire County Cricket players who fell in

WWI and WWII Cedric Alfred Humphries was at Sebright until 1932, being a Senior Prefect,

Captain of Cricket and of Rugby Football and Sergeant-Major in the Corps. After Sebright he went up to Downing College, Cambridge to study Modern Languages and Geography. His illustrious cricketing, and Rugby, careers were well documented in both the Wolvernian

Magazines including an Ode starting “Cedric was our Captain” and in The Griffin (the Downing College magazine). By family inheritance and tradition he was a cricketer, and he made a top

score (62) in the Freshman’s College Match at Downing in 1933. He held a notable cricketing record “but it is less significant in itself that the recollection of the modesty, good humour, and faultless sportsmanship which went with it.” Whilst at Downing Cedric was both Secretary and Captain of the Cricket Club. In 1934 Cedric was chosen for Worcestershire and made a top score of 41 not out again Lancashire and 44 against Cambridge University. “To see him play an innings, particularly in a loosing battle, was to understand that cricket may truly be a mirror of character, if not of life”. For rugby, Cedric had College Colours and became in 1933, after trials, a reserve for the North Midlands. He was also a member of the Hawks Club.

After going down in 1935 Cedric taught at the Royal Grammar School, Worcester and joined his County regiment as a Captain. He was killed in action on 18th November 1944, aged 30, in Holland, when a stray shelled killed Capt. Humphries and 2nd Lt. Oxland who were in a slit trench. One of the last things he wrote home was “’Tisn’t life that matters; ‘tis the courage you bring to it.” Cedric is commemorated on the war memorial plaques at Sebright. Cedric had two brothers who also played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

If anyone has any details of the Cedric or his brothers, especially in regards to their cricketing careers, the Secretary would be very pleased to receive this and post them onto Mr Thomas. (Those at Sebright in the early 60s will remember nephew Cedric Humphries who was in Woodfield House)

Mrs Jill Glover from Brisbane, Australia, was researching the early life of her late husband

Dallas Michael Glover (Sebright 1950). We know that Dallas came from Wombourne where

his parents had a public house. We have discovered that Dallas entered Sebright, Bury Hall,

in September 1946 and left in December 1948. Does anyone have any recollections of Dallas and if so would they kindly contact Jill (jmglover@tpg.com.au)and copy in the Secretary, or if you do not have email, please call me. Thank you.

Mr Alan Audsley, whose brother in law was Clive Gimson, Headmaster of Sebright, had written to the Headmaster describing how he had designed and fabricated and donated the

Crown Of Thorns, overhead light and Cross suspended over the altar in the Chapel at Sebright School. Mrs Audsley had donated the Communion Cruets and the Processional Cross that he also made was donated by the OWA. Mr Audsley was anxious if the items he donated were no longer of relevance in the School life, if he could acquire them. The Secretary was grateful to the Headmaster in his research into this matter for Mr Audsley and in being able to confirm that the items are in regular use, as Wolverley School is now a Church of England Secondary School.

Mr Audsley’s letter also informs us that one of Mr Gimson’s pupils, Michael Scott Joynt who

was Head Boy, is now Bishop of Winchester. I have been unable to locate Michael Scott Joynt in the archive and I wonder if anyone can remember him as a past pupil?

REMEMBRANCE SERVICES, WOLVERLEY HIGH SCHOOL, NOVEMBER 2009

Last November your President and Secretary attended a second Remembrance Service at Wolverley High School on the 11th November at 11am.

Phil Rose, Humanities team leader, at Wolverley, organised this event following a visit he

made with the Year 10 history GCSE group, to the First World War battlefields in Ypres and

the Somme, in June 2009. They had spent some time researching the details of the ex-Wolverley students who died in battle in the Ypres and Somme regions, and were fortunate to be able to visit the grave stones of four of them.

Poppies were laid and photographs were taken by the students at the graves of:

Many pupils attended the voluntary service during their morning break and the Hall was

packed. Rev. Geoffrey Shilvock conducted the service and further wreaths were laid.

As usual, the Old Wolvernian Association carried out their own Remembrance Service on the afternoon of the Annual Dinner.

OWA AND HEATHFIELD PARENTS GOLF, 2010

A change of date from May to 24th September 2010 seemed to suit this year’s quality of play with a significant increase in score from the majority of players!! The venue once again was Wharton Park and despite some inclement weather during the week we were treated to a dry day. The honours went to David Williams-Allden (Sebright 1963) with an excellent 38 Stableford points and the only disappointment on the day was that there were very few Old

Wolvernians present to witness such a fine display, something we would like to address next

year in celebration of the school’s 50th Anniversary. If you are a golfer, regardless of standard, and would enjoy a day on the fairways (and perhaps in the bunkers) please do register your interest via the Secretary or on golf@oldwolvernians.org.uk

Well its been almost 12 months since my last missive, so you must be overdue another one!

Those of you who can’t bear reading through this tome, there are two really important things

for you to do:-

1. Fill in your Dinner 2009 application form

2. And Go to the website www.oldwolvernians.org.uk and fill in your email

address to enable us save the environment and postage and to put your name

into a prize draw for £100.00; hurry though, the prize draw closes on 01.11.09

Now those with more patience, or simply with nothing better to do, please read on…………

Dinner 2009

We are going to be brave and daring this year and move our dinner to the big City and big Lights of Birmingham, to the City Inn Hotel just off Broad Street in Birmingham. Those of a more mature generation will recall that this is not the first time that we have taken our Annual Dinner to our second capital City. This excellent modern hotel has come up with an incredible credit busting offer for us that is just too good to turn down and all on our traditional dinner date of the second Saturday in November – so its 7.30pm for a champagne reception and an 8.00pm dinner onSaturday 14th November 2009. Put the date in your diary now and please use the enclosed RSVP form ASAP to allow us to confirm our numbers to the hotel in plenty of time. The tickets are priced at £25.00 per head (half price if you are an OW attending your first Annual Dinner) which includes the champagne reception, a gourmet dinner of four courses (vegetarian or other dietary requirements accommodated, please mark the form accordingly) plus coffee and petit fours. We have arranged for any OWs wanting to party on to have guest entry to nearby clubs after the dinner. The hotel’s bar does not close until the very wee small hours (4am-ish) of Sunday morning, so you can just choose to stay put and enjoy the surroundings if you prefer.

All attendees at the dinner will also be entered into our prize draw, so if you’ve already submitted your email address, your odds of success will be doubled. There are two convenient carparks to the City Inn; one belonging to the hotel, the other the adjacent NCP, there is a map on the reverse of your invitation, showing these and the hotel’s location to Broad Street.

NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 2009

CONTACT DETAILS:-

Emails: info@oldwolvernians.org.uk; webmaster@oldwolvernians.org.uk

Web: www.oldwolvernians.org.uk

Tel: 01299272222

Post: OWA c/o Bridge House, Bewdley, Worcs, DY12 1AB

Facebook: Old Wolvernian Association

I have also arranged for (subject to demand) a Woodstones Coach Service to run from a central pick-up point in Kidderminster at 1830hrs with a departure from the City Inn at 1230am with drop offs to the Kidderminster area and terminating at Hoo Farm Industrial Estate. If we have sufficient demand for the coach the return cost per person will be £5.00. If you are interested in the coach service, please fill in the section at the bottom of the dinner form, so that I can confirm if we have sufficient up take and let you know the arrangements accordingly. Those of you who have to travel further, or who decide to make a weekend of the evening, will be impressed by the 238 spacious rooms, all with excellent facilities with iMac computers, complimentary wi-fi, Skype, Sky, luxurious linen, power showers and 24-hour room service. Arrive early from 8am or leave late subject to availability when booking.

You’ll be even more impressed by the discounted Accommodation Rate of £35.00 per single or £50.00 per twin or double room, including vat and breakfast. Please phone the hotel reservations direct on 0121 643 1003 quoting “OWA”.

To check out the hotel, the accommodation, travel routes etc. etc.. please visit www.cityinn.com/birmingham Enclosed with this Newsletter is the reply slip for booking places at the dinner. Please note that there is a cut off date on the form; so please make sure that you fill it in and return it with your cheque, made payable to the OWA, as soon as possible.

Remembrance Service 2009

Being held at Wolverley High School at 5pm on Saturday 14th November 2009 to commemorate

those OWs that have fallen in conflicts since the First World War. Please feel free to come along and pay your respects, whether or not you can also make the Dinner afterwards.

AGM 2009

The AGM – your chance to have your say about the Organisation and takes place immediately prior to the Dinner at the City Inn, Birmingham at 18:15hrs, Saturday 14th November 2009.

Golf 2009

Please note the change of date to Friday 18th September 2009 in your diaries for golf and dinner, or

just dinner, at Wharton Park Golf Course, Bewdley. Full details are on the website. If you wish to book a place, please call the President on 07825 746 786 or email the webmaster@oldwolvernians.org.uk

Golf 2010

Returning to our usual May slot, the Golf 2010 will be held on Friday 14th May 2010 at Wharton Park

Golf Club. Bookings via the website, please.

Garden Party 2010

Again, please put Saturday 3rd July 2010, 12.30pm to 4pm in your diary for the Garden Party. Full

Details available from the Secretary or via the Website. The OWA hope to again man a stall, please come along and support us, and if you are able to bring along something for the school Tombola.

Annual Dinner 2010

The Dinner will be held on our traditional Saturday of 13th November 2010 all details to be confirmed;

but please mark the date in your diaries to ensure you can attend.

Heathfield 50th Anniversary Ball, to be held in 2011, date to be notified soon!

NEWS

Facebook

Vicki Burrows (nee Stack) has set up an Old Wolvernian Association Facebook site which includes the Annual Dinner, thank you Vicki; if you are able to, please join, you’ll find a growing group of OWs there and info about the dinner and whose coming…..

Association Committee

The Committee is looking to recruit additional members; we’d be really grateful if you can commit to joining the committee for a total of four meetings a year; or if this is not possible, perhaps you have a skill or business enterprise that you think can help us in refining or adding to our events, managing our database, promoting the Association? Please contact us if you think you can help out in anyway.

www.oldwolvernians.org.uk

Please remember to use our website. I’m indebted once again to Richard Jackman for all his work in administering the site and making sure it is up to date. If you have photos from school we’d be grateful to receive these electronically (webmaster@oldwolvernians.org.uk) or send them recorded delivery to the Secretary in the post – with your name and address – and we’ll scan them and return the originals to you by the same safe method.

Heathfield School

2009 was another very good year academically for the school. 100% of pupils gained 6 or more GCSE’s at A* to C grades including Maths, English and Science and there were some excellent individual results with Henry Morris gaining 7A*s, 3As and A in Additional Maths and Tom Metcalfe, Natalie Brown and Claire Petrie achieving 24 A*s and As between them.

46% of pupils gained either A* or A grade.

Well done the year of 2009!

Heatfield International School, Bangkok

18 new students have started this term at Heathfield International School, Bangkok, with the first two form entry in year 2. The InternationalGCSE results were pleasing. Five students took 24 IGCSEs, 16 were A*-C. The Headmaster Stephen O’Connor expects results to improve year on year. Heathfield,

Wolverley will be welcoming Mr O’Connor to school in December for his first visit.

I’m sure all OWs will be pleased to read that the school continues to go from strength to strength.

Down Memory Lane

I am very grateful to Stewart Irwin for sending me his memories of his time at Sebright 1934 – 1939,

for a second time (as your careless Secretary misplaced the first copy! Stewart, my apologies again!) “On our twice-daily walk up to the main school from Bury Hall through the village we passed Frank’s shop, at the bottom of the hill on the left of the stream. He sometimes used to sell the occasional ‘illicit’ packet of cigarettes. The small post office was up the hill on the right. At the top of the hill was a very large tithe barn, which was destroyed by fire in 1938. We watched some of the conflagration from Bury Hall.

The canal was slightly outside the village, we sometimes used to lean over the bridge and watch the horse drawn barges go by. We had Sunday afternoon walks where we had to report to the Master in charge at a certain point. Otherwise we were free to do our own thing, which included exploring rock houses and skimming our straw boaters from the top of Kinver Edge. We used to look for bird’s nests – collecting eggs was legal then. Occasionally we used to try to catch small fish with a piece of string tied to a stick with a bent pin on the end.

I remember Miss M Barnes, Matron, saying “I’ll be a mother to you laddie”, and thanking GOD that I had a real one at home. I committed the crime of starting a mumps epidemic and had a very enjoyable convalescence in the sanatorium (a corrugated iron building) with a charming nurse. The Matron commented that she supposed that I committed the crime of going to the cinema when on holiday and had picked it up then causing her all this extra work!

Miss Winifred Baker was Miss Barnes’ assistant – a very kind and sympathetic person. I kept in touch with her until she died many years later. She left Bury Hall to become Matron at a big school in Worcester. Sport was limited to Rugby and Cricket. The senior boys could play tennis but there were few facilities. There was no swimming baths, and once we were taken by Mr. Phillips to the river for a swim. I remember seeing a dead sheep float by! I joined the OTC when I was twelve. We wore First World War uniforms with puttees and tried to do arms drill with very large Boer War rifles in the square at Bury Hall. In the far corner of this same square were the only lavatorial facilities for us – very primitive. Anyone who saw Lindsay Anderson’s film IF will have some idea. No doors to the few remaining cubicles – the rest were boarded up and no longer used. The urinals were completely open to the elements.

Improvements were made during my last year and they were moved into the ground floor of the main building – showers were also provided. Maids made our beds and emptied the chamber pots beneath them. A boy from the village came and cleaned our boots.

Amongst my closest friends at Bury Hall were T.E. Bomford, whose parents very kindly used to let me stay at their farm near Pershore for half term holidays – as my home was in Worthing. He was tragically killed at a Point to Point just after the War; having survived service in the Far East. Other close friends were David Shott, G.P. Davies and Nigel Green who eventually became a very good stage and film actor, starring in Zulu, The Ipcress Files and on stage in Shakespeare productions at Stratford.

My brother Richard who was two and a half years older than me was also at Bury Hall. I admired him greatly; he excelled at both sport and lessons. I was no scholar, my main interest being Art and that was not catered for at the school – in fact it was despised. I was also no sportsman – I was very short sighted which didn’t help on the Rugby field, there were no contact lenses in those days. I was no cricketer. One thing I could do was the high jump. My brother’s great friend was Charlie Bennett who became a very successful farmer near Pershore. Food at Bury Hall was terrible. I remember looking at the mould on a quarter of a pork pie and thinking I would have to eat it or the Matron would be annoyed. We also had burnt rice pudding and the most revolting mince – full of gristle.

I left the school just before I was due to take my School Certificate because I had a mastoid operation that left me permanently deaf in one ear. The new Headmaster Henniker-Gotley and his wife were extremely helpful giving my Mother a room and support at this time.

I was at Bury Hall from September 1934 until June 1939. During that time E.A. Jaussen was Housemaster then he was replaced by an unfortunate master who was unable to control the boys. The situation became most unpleasant because the prefects ruled and I will not give further details of what followed. He was eventually replaced by a Mr. Garrard who I liked a lot because he had travelled abroad and was very experienced. He also advised my Mother that instead of staying on at school to take the exam I would be better off leaving and going to the Malvern School of Art. Later he moved on and was replaced by J.A Robinson – a very fair and balanced man who used to try and teach me Latin. I remember Mr. Hancox who taught French and who had a great sense of humour – he introduced me to an American writer, Damon Runyon, and the word antidisestablishmentarianism. I had a difficult War being in the Rifle Brigade – the highlight! being the battle for Caen on July 4th 1944. I was demobbed in February 1947.”

Stewart, thank you so much for going to the trouble to put your memories down on paper, not just once, but twice. I was lucky enough to receive a Christmas Card from Stewart the design of which he had drawn for a Unicef Campaign – it was beautifully detailed; Mr. Garrard was very right to advise your mother to send you to Malvern School of Art. Thank you also, Stewart for the copies of your photos from 1937/38; I will be posting these on the www.oldwolvernians.org.uk website.

John “Plum” Bomford of Evesham wrote after reading K P Stanworth’s memories that “I started at

Bury Hall in January 1937 and left, having been Head Boy, in 1944 and went straight in to the Royal Navy. Nobody seems to have mentioned that boys at Sebright with the same surname were given consecutive numbers to distinguish them. Both Jones and Clarke got into double figures!

K P Stanworth mentioned Frank Golland who as he remembers was killed in the War. His younger brother Colin was a contemporary of mine at Sebright House and was at Reading University with me and took a degree in Horticulture, as opposed to mine in Agriculture.

I ended up going to the Port Party in Kure, Japan about 10 miles from Hiroshima, as the first occupation party before transferring to HMS Alacrity. The German Howitzer was cut for scrap in the Bury Hall yard in 1940. The Housemaster at Bury Hall was E A Jaussen (not Gaussen) and he was succeeded by “Pot” Garrard who administered my first “3 stroke” beating.

The Secretary wonders if John was related to Stewart Irwin’s close friend T E Bomford; I suspect so?

Peter Hughes, Woodfield House 1947 to 1949 wrote that he was most impressed by Mr Stanworth’s

article and contributes the following memories of his time at school:-

“Autumn Term 1947 was started by the fact that I was put in form IIIB and came top in the first fortnightly order and then was put up immediately into the Remove form.

Mr Fenn was the Housemaster at Woodfield so when the 2nd fortnightly marks were read out after prep they were “Hughes P. 1st/31st which naturally caused a great deal of amusement.

My first year was at “The Birches” a boarding house at the bottom of Woodfield House drive, opposite the side road to Eric Knight House. Miss Bidwell was the Matron. After Christmas term I was elevated to the dormitory in the main building. I was prone to sleep walking and fell down the staircase of 15 stairs into the kitchen which made the Headmaster, R A Henniker-Gotley, come through from his private apartments thinking that the boys were raiding the kitchen.

The Bursar, Reg R P Hall was very interested in my voice as I had previously been a Cathedral Chorister in Christ Church Choir, Oxford. Myself and John Fordham sang solos in Wolverley Church on Sunday mornings. In November 1947 we had a day off school to gather wood to build a huge bonfire to celebrate the wedding of the Queen and Prince Philip. Bill Porter and his helpers built the bonfire on an iron frame work. The winter of 1947 had a very deep snow fall and the milk had to be delivered in an Army vehicle from Bewdley. Some of the day boys, of course, could not get to school. Bill Porter sticks in my memory particularly, as we baked potatoes in the boiler at Woodfield. Stoker Bill lived in the house at end of the main drive. He spent all his time wheeling coke just by where we queued for the tuck shop by the side of the main hall (sweets were still rationed) and polishing the passage floors in the Main School (No running or sliding in the corridors!).

I got into trouble by raffling my sweet coupons and making my own raffle tickets! When the big thaw happened in the Spring of 1948 a dead cow got stuck by the bridge that Charles II used when he was escaping from the Battle of Worcester.

The masters were:-

P.D. Hutchinson History

Charlie Cornwall Latin and English

Mr. H. Phillips Physics

R. A. Henniker-Gotley R.E.

Dr. Sachs Chemistry; he was an extremely clever Austrian Jew

J.A. Robinson (“Jar”) Geography

E A M (“Poppa”) Jeffs Maths & Rugger

Daddy Oaks Singing & Music

Matron at Woodfield was Miss Arbuthnot.

The principal Woodfield Boys were Denys & John Fordham, Bruce Rainsford, John Pardoe, Mike Pheby, Efficiency Dunne (Day Boy) who was destined to become a general in the Army, P and E Glynne-Jones, Bill Sitch, Big W H Scott and Nipse J Scott whose father was a funeral director in Edgbaston and who drove a huge Armstrong Siddley Car. H. Oliver, Meredith, K.E. Richards, the two Needhams and and myself were all farmers sons. Subsequently we would make arrangements for milking machine reps to call on us at Woodfield House; although we had made no reference to the fact that we were only schoolboys! The CCF was run by Sgt. Major Sayner (East Yorks regiment), a marvellous man running round the triangle and down past the Rover Works. He was in charge of the armoury of Lee Enfield 303 WWI Rifles at Bury Hall. I also remember Mjr Newton, 202/303 ranges and the Signals Section Camp at Kimnel Park, North Wales. We also enjoyed trips to Enville Common and we went via Sion Hill to the County Cricket matches at Kidderminster Cricket Ground. Bill Porter used the Head’s old Morris 20hp to transfer boys backwards and forwards to the Sanatorium. He had a BMB President Tractor for cultivating the vegetable patch at Woodfield, a great man; I was given the job of head mole catcher on the Aquaduct field where the Birmingham Water Supply crossed over. I also cultivated the garden by the side of the top field.

As a farmer I remember the farmers at Preece’s Farm spreading the shoddy waste from the carpet factories; the gypsies who came to gather the pea harvest and Daddy Edmonds who lived in the cottage by the Colts Rugger pitch and who kept bees.”

Happy days, Peter!!

Doug Cox wrote after the last newsletter “Oh how I shall miss the fair and beautiful Emma, [not sure about that Doug, but thanks anyway!] the Old Boys favourite sweetheart, this coming Annual Dinner

[08], but I’m off down tombs and things in Egypt, searching for one of history’s Unfindables. If I tell you, you’ll laugh, so I won’t until I publish. I was reading Mr Stanworth’s account of his days at Sebright when it occurred to me that all those names he remembered, must have been the fathers of the lads I meet in my time in 1945. I certainly knew the teachers J.A. Robinson, known as the JAR and Poppa Jeffs who when caning you, took a run at your rear and generally brought blood. To be caned by Poppa was an honour indeed, as the rest of your mates looked on you as some hero, with lots of offers to be in their team or share a piece of their mothers home made cake, known as ‘Tuck’

Sadly I think I know some of the lads in your memoriam, who’ve shuffled off this mortal stage. But although I still think as a 20 year old, I realise things are beginning to drop off but at 74, I ain’t going yet. The secret is not to retire, keep the legs working, give the brain something to think about, then you have no time to think about doing such a foolish thing. Incidentally on that subject, I enjoyed Sebright so much I have arranged to do my departure from this world to the next, in Wolverley Church. I hope Sir Attwood, the old marble crusading knight, won’t mind me for company.

Much obliged by your magazine for finding Robert Soloman. I liked him and often wondered what had happened to him. Will make contact. Happy days, dear Emma. I suppose a kiss is out of the question? Now you see what I mean about still being 20!”

Ever the charmer, Doug thank you!! Hope to see you at this year’s dinner?

Spencer Turner (Heathfield, 1981) obviously hasn’t changed too much since his time at school as the ever observant Peter Arundale (Heathfield 1984) recognised him at a regional French Airport earlier this summer. Very observant, Pete!!

Richard Perrin was hoping to make contact with David Goodman; we think we found David’s brothers on the database; so hope you found him, Richard. If you have please send me his details so we can add David back onto the database.

Andy McHardy, andymchardy@hotmail.com was at Heathfield in 1963/1964 and moved up to Sebright after passing the CE. He had some questions about Sebright, that I am grateful to Ian Norton for answering. Andy now lives in Nice, but every year when visiting his grandmother, who until she was nearly aged 100, lived in Bewdley he always passed through Wolverley for old times sake.

Tony “Tom” Edwards writes that “News of Old boy Tom can be reached at this email address. Always keen to link with ‘old’ friends and fellow students. Currently writing for the press internationally – living in Australia, South America and China during the years 2008/9.” Tony@cpmgroup.co.uk

In Memoriam

I am sorry to have to inform you of the deaths of OWs:-

The Venerable Anthony James Balmforth (Sebright 1944), of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Anthony ministered in Kidderminster (as his father had before him) Kings Norton and as Archdeacon of Bristol. He was greatly admired for his patience and willingness to encourage. His colleague Rt Revd Barry Rogerson comments that Anthony’s granddaughter “captured his essence when she reminded them that as a child he always had an eggcup of Smarties waiting for them after they had cleaned their teeth!”

Mr Anthony Needham, of Cutnall Green, passed away in August 2009; Anthony was one of the large extended family of Needhams who have attended both Sebright and Heathfield Schools.

Mr George W. Weston (Sebright 1949), also died on 22nd August 2009; George was a former district judge, having served 29 years on the Midland and Oxford Court Circuit and lived locally in Trimpley. George had two children and six grandchildren.

Mr John Pither, passed away earlier this year (I understand his obituary was in the Telegraph, but I missed it; if anyone has a clipping I would appreciate a copy).

Mr Eddie “Farmer” Price (Sebright circa 1964), was from a local farming family, which gained him his nickname and after leaving Sebright he went to Birmingham University.

Mr Michael Crump passed away in 2008; he was an Old Wolvernian Committee member and a past President of the Association.

Mr. G. E. Hill of Stourbridge, passed away some years ago; my thanks to his son, Simon for informing us.

I do hope you will be able to make it to the Dinner this year, for those of you who come regularly you will, I’m sure, be pleased with the change of venue; for those of you returning you know it will be fun, and for those of you (and you know who you are!) who haven’t been before, come and find out what you have been missing!!

Kind regards,

Please do keep us informed of any changes for our database. My contact details:-

As I type this, I wonder whether this mailing will reach you in the new format of a folded Newsletter, or whether technology will evade me and you will need the usual A4 stapled pages! Well here goes nothing…..

Not having written to you earlier this year, I find that there is much information to impart and I wonder wherever is the best place to start?

Dinner 2008

Keeping with exciting news; after great deal of consideration and visiting of venues the committee has unanimously decided that a change is as good as a rest (and an annual dinner never rests!) and this year we will be holding our annual dinner at the newly refurbished Gainsborough House Hotel, Bewdley Road, Kidderminster on Saturday 15th November2008 at 7pm for 7.30pm. There is a perfect banqueting room with plenty of room for our after dinner Disco and a comfortable and roomy lounge bar for a quiet post dinner drink. We will be offering the red carpet treatment to you all and greeting you with a complimentary Bucks Fizz. Those of you who have to travel, or decide to make a weekend of the evening, will be impressed by the en suite bedrooms, may of which overlook the adjacent park, visit www.gainsboroughhotel.co.uk for a taster of this cool new venue right on our doorstep.Enclosed with the Newsletter is a reply slip for booking places at the dinner. Please note that there is a cut off date on the form; so please make sure that you fill it in and return it with your cheque as soon as possible.

Remembrance Service

Being held at Wolverley High School at 5.30pm on Saturday 15th November 2008 to commemorate those OWs that have fallen in conflict since the First World War. Please feel free to come along and pay your respects, whether or not you can also make the Dinner.

AGM

The AGM – your chance to have your say about the Organisation and takes place immediately prior to the Dinner at the Gainsborough at 18:15hrs.

NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 2008

Golf 2009

Please put Friday 15th May 2009 in your diaries for golf and dinner, or just dinner, at Wharton Park Golf Course, Bewdley. Full details will be posted on the website as there will not be another mailer in the interim. If you wish to book a place, please call the Secretary on 01299 272210.

Garden Party 2009

Again, please put Saturday 4th July, 12.30pm in your diary for the Garden Party. Full details available from the Secretary or via the Website.

REVIEWS

Dinner 2007

Those of you who attended last year’s dinner have passed on many positive (and kind) comments that you thought it was one of the best evenings we have held in recent years. There was a good turn out from all eras and the banquet room was a hubbub of conversation and laughter; the band who followed allowed those with the energy to do so, to dance away, what was left of the evening and the rest of you seemed content to tap your feet or put them up in the quietness of the bar.

Golf 2008

Having had the wettest August on record, you may not be surprised to read that the Golf Tournament due to be held on the 16th May at Wharton Park was rained off, as the club had to close the course as the weather was so bad! We apologise once more to all of who were due to play; but rest assured we are organising another event for Friday 15th May 2009, when Will Gardner may or may not be reprised of his Champion’s Title and the Golf Society Cup – a fine piece of silverware for anyone’s mantle piece!

Garden Party 2008

Regrettably your Secretary could not attend the Garden Party this year, which was held on July 5th. The Parents Association organised the Party with a Spanish theme – complete with paella lunch. This is the first time in many years that I have missed the GP, and it was particularly galling as I think the proposed OWA stall of “Fling a Flip Flop” would have caused a storm! The Garden Party was well attended event by the School community, but sadly not many OWs made it to the Party this year. We hope that more of you will be able to make next year’s garden party on Saturday 4th July 2009 at 12.30pm – 4pm. Please refer to our useful dates section on the reverse of the Newsletter.

NEWS

Committee

Your Association is in the reliable hands of a very willing but slightly under manned committee. We’d be really grateful if you can commit to joining the committee for a total of four meetings a year; or if this is not possible, perhaps you have a skill or business enterprise that you think can help us in refining or adding to our events? Please contact us if you think you can help us.

www.oldwolvernians.org.uk

Please remember to use our website. I’m indebted to Richard Jackman for all his work in administering the site and making sure it is up to date and thanks to Richard we now have a growing gallery of pictures on the site. If you have photos from school we’d be grateful to receive these electronically (webmaster@oldwolvernians.org.uk) or send them recorded delivery to the Secretary in the post – with your name and address – and we’ll scan them and return the originals to you by the same safe method.

House Books

Michael Clunas has very kindly scanned the Sebright House Books for us; thank you, Michael for undertaking this not inconsiderable project!! This is now available on disc – if anyone is interested in a copy of the book, please contact the Secretary, there will be a small charge of £5.00 for disc duplication plus postage.

Heathfield School

Heathfield has achieved another set of outstanding GCSE and Key Sats results this year. Congratulations to one and all! Also since I last wrote to you, Heathfield has some exciting news in that it has formed a partnership with the newly named Heathfield International School Bangkok, Thailand. At the present time this collaboration has had no impact on the OWA, but I suspect we may find ourselves with a spin-off branch in years to come. We wish the new partnership every success!

Down Memory Lane

I am very grateful to K P Stanworth of Penkridge for the following account of his school days at Sebright in the 1930s (perhaps you will be inspired to share your School – Heathfield and Sebright – memories with us?)

“Your reproduction of the letter you received from Ross Bellamy made me cast my mind back and dredge up a few items which might be of interest, though probably well known from other sources. I recognise some of the Staff names from my time (I was at Bury Hall from 1930 – 1938) and can add a few. “JAR” ROBINSON – I do not recall him teaching Geography – he was the Latin master. In my day, Geography was in the hands of L.J.C. DAY (a gentle creature but a good teacher, who also covered Art, known in those days as Drawing!)

E.A.N. JEFFS tried, without much success, to teach me advanced maths in the 6th form. Unfortunately he was only able to spend about 4 hours per week with me and the subject required at least 20! Consequently, when I reached Cambridge, a huge gap became apparent between where the school finished and the University began.

G.J. (I think) PHILLIPS. I remember as Housemaster of what we knew as Sebright House, which must later have been renamed in honour of Stanley Baldwin, who performed the opening ceremony when the school was new (1932) In his day Knowledge and Understanding were words used by the Headmaster and picked up by Mr. Baldwin as the theme of his address. Mr. Phillips was also a “strangulated” tenor who took the leading parts in the G&S Operas produced every 2 years.

CORNWELL (not Cornwall). I also remember, though not his orange allergy.

L.S. (I think) HARGRAVE taught maths to the lower forms and ran the Cadet Force, which later became the OTC. He was assisted by MR. PALMER who, I think, taught History. W. HANCOX taught French and German (occasionally). Mention of the OTC of course revives memories of Sgt. TOM SAYNER – a great character and highly efficient. I have no doubt that many, like myself, benefited from his training when it came to taking up commissions in the forces.

Mr. Bellamy appears to be a little out in his chronology when writing of Sebright becoming a Public School and the accession of Eric Knight house. Admission to the Headmasters’ Conference came at some time in the mid-thirties. I well remember that (Big Deal!), we were given a half holiday in celebration! Eric Knights house had not become part of the school by the time I left in 1938. Indeed, as far as I remember, Eric Knight (Chairman of the Governors) was still alive then. As I understand it, the house was bequeathed to the School on his death.

Another Governor whose name I recall was MR. GRAZEBROOK, who was another of the local big-wigs. I don’t know where he lived but I supposed could conceivably have been at what is now Heathfield. There was also a MR. WICKS (I think) who used to come at exam times (School Certificate and Higher School Certificate then) and act as Invigilator.

Going back to the School itself, the reason I went to what was then Wolverley School, was as the result of conversations between my parents and those of JACK and DONALD HEWSON. DONALD was on his way out, at the top of the school, when I entered at the bottom. He took a big part in the Old Wolvernian Association for many years.

As I stated above, I was at Bury Hall, starting at the very bottom and finishing at the top – as Senior Prefect of the School for my final year. The Housemaster, when I joined was E.A. GAUSSEOR, who taught Physics and Chemistry and ran the Ruby and Cricket teams. He retired, I would suppose, about 1935. He was succeeded by a man whose name I cannot recall, who was a complete wimp – the house started to go down hill. We got rid of him in fairly short order to be succeeded by another man whose name I can’t remember but he had the right ideas. By the time I left in 1938 things were beginning to look up again.

The Matron was MOLLY BARNES, a dragon of some renown. She must have retired about 1939 or 1940 because she surfaced again as Red Cross Commandant for an Officers Convalescent home established at Stretton Hall which is about 3 miles from Penkridge. I am not sure how long she was there, but she was still there when I returned from overseas in 1945. Funnily enough, she wasn’t so much of a dragon when met on equal terms.

At that time (1930) the school itself was at Bury Hall, four-seater desks, with forms to sit on were still in use. I suppose we must have transferred to Sebright in about 1932.

The only other members of staff I remember at Bury Hall was GEORGE GREEN, gardener and general handyman and BILL PORTER, Caretaker, who was the bugler on Armistice Day each year, when the school attended the short service and 2 minutes silence in the middle of the village.

Thinking of Bury Hall brings back one or two memories, one of which you may not care to know! In 1930 there was a toilet block in the corner of the playground but at that time earth closets were provided! Water closets came along in about 1931 or 1932. The other abiding memory is of the large German Howitzer which stood, quietly rusting away in the corner of the playground. No doubt you know the story of that! [The Secretary would be grateful to receive any further information on this.]

The 25 yard rifle range was at Bury Hall and continued to be used all through the thirties. I think the OTC was not based at Bury Hall in my day, there would have been many advantages if it had been. On that subject, I too have memories of Habberley Valley, though not of the Assault Course which must have been built later. I recall going to camp at STRENSALL, RUSHMORE AND TIDWORTH. I finished up as Quartermaster Sergeant, the Cadet Sergeant Major being F.S. GOLLAND, also of Bury Hall who, I seem to remember being told was killed during the war.

R.C. LUCAS was Headmaster when I joined and also acted as Housemaster at Woodfield. He could be stern but, in the main, was quite an amiable character – I think he only beat me once in my early days! He had a daughter, Gwen, who usually helped out in the Gilbert & Sullivan shows. Mrs Hargrave also used to help, as did Mrs Oakes, wife of HARRY N. OAKES, the part-time music teacher, who produced and conducted the shows. RCL himself took the parts presently played by John Reed, such as the Duke of Plaza Toro, Sir Joseph Porter K@ B and Mayor General Stanley. Minor female parts were played by sufficiently large trebles! Singing practices were held in the 1620 schoolroom in the middle of the village.

I have memories of many contemporaries, of whom a few are listed below:-

J.H. VERNON – left at about the same time as I did and went to Worcester College, Oxford to study Law. I believe he became a Solicitor. A strong runner Centre Three Quarter.

J.W. (JOCK) BANNISTER – whose home was, I think, in Pedmore. He had an elder brother GEORGE, a redhead, who left in 1930-1931.

JACK DOWNING – at the top end of the school when I went in at the bottom. Came from Stourbridge and subsequently became an auctioneer, a noted G&S who subsequently became a pillar of the Stourbridge Operative Society. I subsequently saw him at Stourbridge Town Hall as King Gama in Princess Iola.

TOM W. DAVIES, – who came from Blakedown, where his father kept the pub.

CHARLIE BENNETT – had a fearful stammer, which I think improved over the years.

F.J.W. (JOHN) MURDOCH – from Wolverhampton, who subsequently became my brother-in-law. He is dead now (so is my sister). He started in a bank in Wolverhampton and joined the T.A. He was called up on the outbreak of war and came to Penkridge with the 2nd/6th South Staffs – hence the marriage! He was subsequently commissioned in the Worcesters (back to school again!)

THE BACHE BROTHERS – three of them. R.E.H. (BOBBY) was the eldest – not very large but a very tough scrum half. L.S. (LESLIE) was the middle one, I don’t remember much about him and even less about the youngest – who I think might have been DENNIS. I think they came from the Stourbridge area.

PHILIP POOLE – two or three years older than me – definitely a farmer’s son – known as PIGGY!

TOM HOSKISSON – head of the house when I first arrived. I don’t remember much about him, apart from being terrified of him!

TWO EAMES BROTHERS – prominent in what was then the Cadet Corps – again about 8 years older than me.

The above were all at Bury Hall and I could go on but will list a few from other houses who stick in my mind.

STAN BOLLINGTON and DESMOND WHITEHOUSE, who transferred together from Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Walsall at the age of about 15. Stan went on to become a dentist, practising in Cannock. I don’t know what happened to Desmond. They both belonged to what was then Sebright House.

CEDRIC and NORMAN HUMPHRIES – Day Boys both talented cricketers. They both played a few times

for Worcestershire. I recall seeing Cedric play for the School against Bridgnorth Grammar School, whose team at that time included CYRIS WASHBROOK, later of Lancashire and England. There seems to have been quite a high proportion of pairs (and trios) of brothers. I suppose this may well be connected with the fact that the fees were very low, since the school was highly endorsed by income from the properties in Bethnal Green, acquired by William Sebright during his time in London. The properties were, I suppose, lost in the blitz, which resulted in fees increasing no doubt contributing to the school’s downfall. I believe that in pre-war years the Old Wolvernians ran some form of charity for the benefit of the children of Bethnal Green.

I forgot to mention that R.C. LUCAS retired from the Headmastership at the end of the Summer term 1938, at the same time that I left. It fell to my lot, as Head Prefect, to make a presentation to him on behalf of the boys and the staff. We gave him an armchair and an illuminated address which I had to deliver which had been signed by every master and pupil. [Secretary’s note: This is the beautiful bound book that was so kindly returned to us, via an antiquarian who had received a boxful of books for sale circa 2000; the miracle of the web had meant they were able to track down the Association.] This brings to mind the other public duty which fell to the Head Prefect – that of reading the second lesson at the Annual Founders’ Day service “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, Put the whole armour of God…etc). It still sticks in my mind.

Other prominent names were:- HIGGS and WOODFIELD. G.D.(GEOFFREY) SHOWELL. I came across Geoffrey again in later years, he was Managing Director of the family firm of EDWIN SHOWELL & SONS LTD of STIRCHLEY, which was taken over by the company of which I was Director and Secretary. A few notes about me – in case anyone might be interested! From Sebright I went to CHRISTS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, where I read Maths for one year (unsuccessfully!) and changed to Natural Sciences for a second one. When the war came, by virtue of being in the University OTC, I was accepted for a commission in the Tanks but then failed the medical because of my eyesight. This happened about twice, at which stage I decided to volunteer for the RAF with the idea of becoming a driver or something similar, but was accepted for training as an Armourment Officer. The training took me to MANBY, in Lincolnshire where I met the young lady who became my wife. After training I was sent to ST. ATHAN in South Wales and then posted overseas. I had a gentleman’s war, the only excitement being when the troopship I was on got in the way of a torpedo, but we got away with that one. My overseas service took me to Egypt, Sudan, Cyprus, Italy Yugoslavia, back to Italy and then home in September 1945. At this stage we were married and in October 2005 had our Diamond Wedding Anniversary. I was demobbed, as a Flight Lieutenant in July 1946 following which I did a short business training course at Wolverhampton Tech (they call it a University these days!). and was then taken on as a trainee by JOSIAH PARKES And SON LTD of Willenhall, lock manufacturers, being taken on to the staff after a year. I stayed with them until my retirement in March 1984 at which stage I was a Director and Secretary of the company, which by then was a member of the CHUBB GROUP. On the way I qualified for 3 professional qualifications (and managed to pick up top place in the Final Exam of the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants (now the Cost and Management Accountants). That’s enough boasting!.

Finally, a few odd memories that have been flooding back while I have been writing this.

1. Swimming in the River Stour on hot summer days. Why we didn’t all contract Typhoid or something equally horrible I can’t imagine.

2. The occasion when the old tithe barn at the top end of the village was burned down. This was serious as, I believe, it was of historic interest, being of “CRUCK” construction and was presumably a listed building.

3. Playing tennis on the grass court on the aquaduct field – a privilege restricted to prefects. No hard courts had been constructed at that time.

4. Travelling to away matches in BILL GREENHILL’S coach at a stately 25mph. I was in the Rugby XV for a couple of seasons and was scorer for the Cricket X1. (I was never any good at cricket so I think I was given this job in order to preserve my dignity as a senior!).

5. Dress – weekdays – blue serge 3 piece suit, stiff collar, tie black or in-house colours and BLACK BOOTS! The wearing of shoes was a crime – I never got caught! Sundays we wore black jacket and striped trousers and, again, BLACK BOOTS.6. Half Term – Sunday on which we had the choice of leaving after breakfast and returning in time for Evensong or attending Mattins before leaving and returning in time for supper at 8pm. I presume that Heathfield get a week these days!

8. Food – plain but nutritional I suppose – at least we seemed to keep healthy. In my case, if you are hungry enough you’ll eat anything!

Thinking of health the Sanatorium was at Bury Hall – a timber and corrugated iron building in the kitchen garden. I know nothing of its amenities as I was never in it. The only time I got an infectious disease was when we had an epidemic of German Measles, when so many of us had it that the Sanatorium couldn’t cope so we had to be moved around and all put into one segregated dormitory.

One late item of trivia that occurred to me – the half-holiday we were given on one day each Summer so that we could attend Worcestershire’s home cricket match at Kidderminster. This entailed a foot-slog up the hill out of the village, down Sion Hill and up Chester Road to the cricket ground and of course, back again. Quite a trip on a hot day – see Item 5 DRESS above!”

I am sure you will agree K P Stanworth’s memories are fascinating and what is equally remarkable is his vivid recall of those memories and details from 72 years ago, but as Mr Stanworth says “once started, [it] took over and acquired a life of it’s own!”.

Guy Timmis (Heathfield 60-70s) writes to let me know that this son, Oliver who was a pupil at Heathfield from the age of 3, is now reading Medicine at Girton College, Cambridge. We wish you every success, Oliver!

A H Hughes posts “I do not recall a French master Mr Ken Corfield. I do not recall the Bursar Mr Perkins. Above all, I do NOT recall (the late) Mr Ken Gimson! – who was he?” [Anyone shed any light? Before my time I’m afraid, Sec]

Tim Cowell would be interested to hear from anyone with news of or the contact details for Roger D Jones (Sebright 1960); t.a.cowell@btinternet.com

“I wonder if any of the lads remember our days canoeing on the River Severn (Bewdley) back in the sixties; or the Arduous Training with the cadets in mid-Wales, including 2/lieut Bob Duchart I have very happy recollections of all those things and enjoy sharing reminiscences. I was Biology master; housemaster of Bury Hall for a couple of years after Arthur Butterworth, then O.C. of the CCF from about 1964 to 1966. Great Days and now I’m retired to Warwick. Cheers Hugh Jones”. Hlkjones@talktalk.net

Andrew Sutherland posts “I was a boarder at Bury Hall from 1961-63. I only managed to get into the school as that dear man Henniker-Gotley could not believe I got 0% for my common entrance algebra exam! I would love to hear from any old boys from that era at Sebright, names that spring to mind are: Kevin Hancox (a good pal) Onslow, Smith, Mason (had the most comprehensive collection of Elvis LPs ever!) Small brothers, Titmus, Lawrence, Colley (From the Lebanon who used to bring back the most exquisite dried apricot sheets), Inge, Groves, Wright, Adams, Anderson et al. All the best to everyone. (Only claim to fame plunge champion 61-63 beating arch rival Pugh). andrew.sutherland@orange.fr

Howard Jones wrote that “I knew Clive (Gimson) very well when I was Director of Art at Sebright. I taught there till the school closed. Did you know that Clive moved to the westcountry to become Headmaster of Blundells? I too moved close by to teach in the University of Plymouth. I only retired two years ago. French Master Ken Corfield on leaving Sebright I believe went to work for United Nations in Paris. You can see a little of what I have been doing meanwhile by visiting our website: http://www.artadventures.org.uk/ . I would be pleased to hear from anyone who can remember the final days of the old school!

Welcome back to the Association to Jeremy Pewton (Heathfield 1982) , who along with his contemporaries, Mark Timmins, Adrian Pardoe and Adrian Williams attended their first dinner last year.

John Simmonds has been researching the Sebright Coat of Arms and I’m grateful for his information which we have posted on the website.

In Memoriam

Laurence “Rufus” Williams Sebright 1943-1947 kindly wrote to me about the death of his old friend, I.Robin “Mouse” L. Morom, who started at Sebright in the Spring of 1943. “Robin lived in Redditch, and as I lived in Cheshire, we did not see much of each other, but met up a few times and more recently called in to see him en-route home when visiting London based relations. We kept in touch over the years, always exchanging Christmas Cards and when we did not get a card last year, I tried to contact both Robin and his wife, without success. Rather belatedly, in 2007, I then found that Robin had died the year before, only four months after his wife, June had died” .

Lawrence Bruce Farmer, on 29th September 2007

Clifford Thomas Kitson, 6th October 2006

D C Moyle, Stratford on Avon, in 2007

David Muffet OBE, (Sebright 1938) – there is a wonderful account of David’s life on our web site.

John Palfrey (Sebright 1933), Stourport on Severn, in 2007

I do hope you will be able to make it to the dinner this year, for who of you who come regularly you will, I’m sure, be pleased with the change of venue; for those of you returning you know it will be fun, and for those of you (and you know who you are!) who haven’t been before, come and find out what you have been missing!!

Kind regards,

Emma

Please do keep us informed of any changes for our database. My contact details:-

I am writing to you early this year, so that you can put 3 important dates on your calendar.

This will give you as much notice as possible to be able to attend our events and give you plenty of time to call up your long lost pals from school and get them to come along as well to one or all of these gatherings.

Golf 2007

FRIDAY 11TH MAY 2007, 11.30am, WHARTON PARK COURSE, BEWDLEY

I have heard some of you say “I like to play golf, but I’m not good enough to play in a competition”.

Well, you obviously haven’t seen the OW standard! This really is an excuse for a get together and usually a bit of a long walk or buggy ride around this delightful course, and so far we’ve been lucky and the weather has been great!

Arrive for Bacon Sandwiches, Tea and Coffee between 11.30am and 12.30pm
Tee Off times between 12.30pm and 1.15pm
Four Ball Stableford competition over 18 holes
Full Handicap applies Maximum 28 Gentlemen, 35 Ladies
Approximately five hours of play

Last players return to the club house at 6.15pm
Drinks followed by presentation of Prizes for Best OW, Best Guest player, Nearest the pin, Longest Drive and a Mystery prize.

A three course dinner is served at 7.30pm.

Remember you can bring a guest or more for the day; or if your guests are non golfers they can join us all for drinks and dinner from 6.15pm.

The Bar closes at 11.00pm for those wishing to recount tall tales of holes-in- one and the ones that got away (or is that a different sport?).

Should anyone be travelling from afar and need information on accommodation in the locality please let me know.

To book your space, please use the following contact details:-

Stephen Cresswell, tel 07837 499 425, email scresswell@nstgroup.co.uk
Allan Wood, tel 07801 339 155, email allan.wood@woodridgecompany.co.uk
Or myself via any of the contacts at the top of the first page.

We will require your phone number and/or email address, handicap details and a cheque made payable to the OWA or cash is always accepted!

Prices are:-
£40.00 per person excluding a Buggy
£50.00 per person including a Buggy
£15.00 per person for the dinner only.

Please note because of the academic calendar this year the Garden Party has moved from the first Saturday in July to the 30th June 2007.

This year, the Old Wolvernian Association is again manning a stall with prizes to be won and a display of OW memorabilia (if you have any interesting items – school colours, cricket blazers, old photos etc.etc..) that you would like to loan to us for display please contact me on any of my contact details above. We promise to take the best care of your prized possessions and return them after the Garden Party to you.

Our President, Stephen Cresswell (Heathfield 1982) will be in attendance and will welcome you with a drink at the licensed bar. The parents Association are laying on a luncheon which does not need pre-booking this year.

We hope to see as many OWs as possible, please come along and introduce yourselves.

The mainstay of our calendar year will be the OW Annual Dinner, returning to its regular date of the second Saturday in November. After the success of the last few dinners we will be using the Menzies Hotel again.
Recent years have seen a considerable increase in our numbers and we now have a loyal following (thank you, you know who you are!) from a large selection of Sebright and Heathfield eras. There are of course some noticeable absences from some year groups, and as you know who you are, we hope to see you making an appearance at this year’s dinner!

We are enclosing a preliminary order form for tickets for you to complete or to use to start planning a whole table.

As usual we can accommodate any number of table size from a minimum of six, and are able to put you in contact with lost contemporaries. Many OWs have used this as an excuse to finally get in touch with their old school friends and without exception report that they have had a wonderful evening of laughs and reminiscences!

Tickets are already available at £35.00 each; we expect demand to be high, as it was last year, so endeavour to please book early. (We will be reminding
you about the dinner again in our September newsletter, nevertheless please start to plan ahead and to put the date on your calendars).

Remember you can also use the on-line tickets form at www.wolverniansreinvented.com or www.oldwolvernians.org.uk

In the “Wolvernian-know”.

Roni (Veronica) Solomans has contacted me. Roni was “Headmaster’s personal assistant and lady secretary” to Mr Grimson at Sebright until it closed in 1970. Roni is keen to receive any news from other members of staff. In particular she remembers the Bursar Mr Perkins, French Master
Ken Corfield, Robin Sinker, Heathfield Headmaster Alan Beams and the late
Mr Ken Gimson. Anyone with news should contact Roni via the secretary or by email at roni.solomans@blueyonder.co.uk

Michael Clunas wanted to know what had happened to the Sebright Day Books; these had been kindly rescued and stored by Mike Fellows, thank you, Mike for saving this piece of our past. The Day books are now stored by the Headmaster at Heathfield, should any one wish to view them.

Joe Kahn (Sebright 1968) wants to get in contact with John Faulkner (Oxford) who was a thunderous wing forward and flanker and Christopher Kay (France) centre; joekahn@bigpond.com.au

Several of you have been enquiring as to OW ties and cufflinks; these are available from myself at any of the contact details above.

Mike Garrs is holding an open day for Mattersley Hall Prep School Old Boys. Situated North East of Retford in Notts, Mike knows that OW Simon O M King attended the prep school which closed in 1972. Mr Henniker-Gotley presented a lecture to their senior boys on Birds in March 1958. The open day is in the afternoon of Sunday 30th September 2007. Mike can be contacted on 01522 595 198 or mike.garrs49@ntlworld.com

My Space

Check out the old wolvernian site on My Space to see OWs doing what they do…..

Committee News

We are very sad as a Committee to see the resignation of three very long standing committee members, who for many years have supported and maintained the Association, Dr Jack Baker who is a Past President of the Association, Mr Ian Norton also a Past President, serving two terms and Mr Digby Westwood, retiring Treasurer of the Association. We would like to formally thank you all for your endeavours over the years and obviously look forward to seeing you at our forthcoming OW events, when you can officially “put your feet up”!

The Committee is delighted to have recruited Nina Burkett (Heathfield 1985) Richard Jackman (Sebright 1965) and Tony Pheby (Sebright circa 1940) as new committee members – we are really pleased to have you on board. You can see a full list of committee members on the website.

Should you wish to join the committee please contact me; it involves just 3 Committee meetings a year and the AGM. The next meeting is at 7.30pm at Heathfield School on the 2nd May.

History of Heathfield

Digby Westwood has kindly offered to write up a history of Heathfield, as an OW, past Treasurer and a published author we are very grateful for Digby’s efforts in this field. If you have interesting information or images for Digby to include, he can be contacted at digbywestwood@clara.co.uk

Should you have any other similar information about Sebright, we would be pleased to receive this to be able to use on a similar project.

Report on 2006-2007 OW year

Golf 06, a well attended day, glorious sunshine; fully documented in the last newsletter, with Will Gardner (Heathfield 1982) taking the OW Golfing Society Cup for the second time! Give him a run for his money by competing in 07!

Garden Party 06, a sunny afternoon with lots of OWs in attendance enjoying the band, spending money on the stalls and bar, and watching the big screen football in the Fallows Hall into the early evening.

AGM 06, a well attended AGM, minutes and accounts will be published shortly on the website, or if you require a postal copy, please contact me.

Dinner 2006, a well attended dinner; it was great to see so many large tables. The “Millionaire” quiz went down a storm, with the top table being knocked off their reigning position as incumbent winners. The disposable cameras left on each table for OWs to use gave a good snapshot of the evening (I think Annie Leibowitz can rest easy!). A selection of photos are on the website; if you want a CD of the images, please contact me. Ballroom Glitz played glam rock and got all ages of OWs and their guests rocking or at least tapping their feet!

Lost & Found.

Stuart Harry Pickford (Sebright School 1958 – 1963), is trying to find Peter Wade Driver, from Oldham; they were in Eric Knight House together. Does anyone have any contact details for Peter; Stuart can be contacted at Vipulakirt@aol.com or via myself

Russell Crowe is trying to contact J Knott and G Hamilton (Heathfield 1987), so if Jonathan or Gavin are reading this please contact him on Russell@vds.uk.com

Don Cox had David Marshall’s camera as it was left behind at the Garden Party last year. David I hope you are reunited with your camera now after Don’s efforts to track you down. If not contact Don at doncox01@onetel.com or via myself.

Bob Harrison is compiling a long overdue obitutary for Reginald Robert Philip Hall, Bursar at Sebright. Reg Hall was an old boy of Merton College, Oxford, and an accomplished musician, he was an excellent organist. Bob lived in Wolverley from 1947 to 1968, befriending many OWs and Mr Hall was a family friend and mentor. If you have any memories of Mr Hall, Bob would love to receive them; he can be contacted on email corvusmax@hotmail.com

Sad News

Unfortunately, I have heard today that Jim Caswell died last Sunday. James Luther Caswell (12.12.1915 to 15.04.2007) was born and lived all his life in Cookley. Jim attended Wolverley Grammar School and his passing marks the end of an era of OWs who attended the Grammar School. The Association send their condolences to Jim’s family, including his son, Richard who is also an OW (Sebright 1970).

Also, I have received news of the sad passing of the following Old Wolvernians:

A contemporary of Jim’s, Mr John Palfrey of 13 Mayberry Close, Lickhill Lodge Estate, Stourport on Severn, sadly passed away on the 16th January 2007. John was a founder of the Sebright Masonic Lodge in 1965, and was aged 90 and leaves behind his wife who is aged 89 years; they would have celebrated 65 years of marriage on the 31st January. John attended his last dinner in 2002; those present will remember that he was the only attendee eligible to stand up as an OW who left school in the 1920s.

Mr Henry Royston Smith (Sebright) of 12 St Helier House, Edgbaston, we were informed in January of this year that he has passed away.

Change of addresses

Ross Bellamy (Sebright 1951) has a new email address: ross.bellamy@btinternet.com

David Chapman (Sebright 1963), David also writes that he often remembers David Fordham’s conversation regarding his tour guide when visiting Bermuda whilst in the Navy.

Remember to please let us have information about your change of address, contact details and any news you may wish to convey about your life, successes (or failures!); may be you have a question or information about “lost and found” OWs. Send your info to info@oldwolvernians.org.uk or by post, or ‘phone, so we may enlighten your peers and fellow OWs.

Hopefully you have enjoyed our newsletter….. I hope we will see many of you over the coming 12 months joining us at our OW events.

Well, it has been a busy 2006 for the OW Committee, but with only a smattering of news from our Old Wolvernians to pass on to you.

Please read on to find out more about the news of the last 12 months; but before you do, please make a note of our Annual Dinner details and pull out the enclosed invitation for your mantelpiece, or for the magnets on the fridge, and fill in and return the Green ticket application form with your cheque to secure your places at the dinner. We must have your replies by the 10th November in order to give the hotel our attendance numbers.

A great opportunity for a get together with your old school friends. Dress code for the Dinner is smart; suits or dinner suits for the gentlemen and something glamorous/eveningwear for the ladies; the format is dinner with a band afterwards.

We have a five course meal, with the fantastic Ballroom Glitz afterwards, promised to get the most hesitant of dancers onto the floor! Those of you who want to chat to your contemporaries can retire to the relative peace of the bar. The bar are running a happy hour after the meal, should you need any encouragement!

Details of the menu and the wines available from both Nickolls and Perks and the Hotel are enclosed with this letter.

This year we are offering a discount for not just a table of ten, but also for a pair of tickets, so this is the perfect excuse to phone up all your long lost pals and get a group together, or bring along a guest, partner or friend to enjoy the evening with you.

Should you need help tracking down your school friends, please call or email me and we will see what information the database can provide about your (long) lost
School contemporaries – don’t forgot that friendsreunited.com is also a useful site to find lost friends!

If you want to make a weekend of it, the hotel are offering reduced rate rooms for OWs (just mention our dinner and the Association when calling 01299 289955) of Â£75.00 (normally Â£125.00) for a double or twin and Â£55.00 for a single including breakfast, VAT and use of the leisure facilities.

Tickets are just Â£35.00 per person or Â£65.00 for two tickets or Â£315.00 for a table of ten and OWs may bring along guests.

The dinner is targeted at all Old Wolvernians, of whichever era. We hope we will have a well attended and enjoyable evening.

Immediately prior to the Dinner we will be arranging:
Remembrance Service 1730 hours at Wolverley High School (formerly Sebright)

AGM 1815 hours at Stourport Manor Menzies Hotel

Dinner starts promptly 1900 for 1930 hours finishing at 0100 hours

This year we are organising a prestigious raffle with plenty of top quality prizes. Should you have any gifts you wish to donate, please do contact me on 01299 272210 or info@oldwolvernians.org.uk.

For those OWs attending your first Annual Dinner you will be able to take advantage of our half price concessionary ticket price (not applicable to guests).

I have already heard that Ian Norton and Jeff Cope are gathering their contemporaries.

That Nina Burkett, Joanna Ashmore, George Haywood and their year group are making up a table or even two!

Gareth Lewis has his year of 1996 already committed and coming along.

There’s the usual good turnout of 1982 and Adrian Taft wants more of you from 1981 to make the effort and come along this year!

Richard Jackman and his contemporaries are making up a table.

If you are from the above eras, or any other age group and would like to make contact with your old school friends, I can pass on their details; please contact me via any of the details listed on the top page.

The Chapel Fund provides financial assistance to Old Wolvernians and their families under the age of 30 for schooling and further education purposes. To apply, Old Wolvernians should contact Denys on 01562 822 336, or via the Chapel Fund page on our website.

The Association would like to extend our thanks to Denys and his team for all the hard work they carry out on the Fund’s behalf.

www.oldwolvernians.org.uk

Remember to visit our website, it is slowly evolving! It is particularly helpful for updating your contact details, or posting messages. My great thanks to Richard Jackman who has volunteered with this section of Association Admin!

If you don’t have access to the web, please send your change of address, contact details and any news you may wish to convey via post or phone so we may enlighten your peers and fellow OWs.

Committee

We were really pleased to welcome Lee Nicholas, Vicki Stack, Zarino Zappia and Simon Waldron to the committee last year; their attendance and fresh ideas has been invaluable. If you have three evenings a year to spare and some enthusiasm please contact us (or look on the website) for the dates of next year’s meetings which are held at Heathfield in Wolverley.

Golf 2006

Friday 12th May was a sunny day, with only one downpour towards the end of the day at Wharton Park, Bewdley.

14 OW players attended, amongst them the President, the Treasurer, Richard Jackman, David Williams-Allden and Allan Wood. There were also guest players.

The magnificent OW golfing society cup was presented to Will Gardner (for the second year) and there was a prize for the highest scoring guest player.

Golf 2007

Friday 11th May 2007 is booked for coffee and bacon rolls, 18 holes and dinner. All OWs and their guests are welcome, please phone or email me, or use the website if you are interested in the Golf 07, as we do not have another newsletter until after this date. The ticket price for was 2007 will be Â£50.00 for the day.

Report on Centenary Ball 2005

Many of you attended our most successful dinner in recent years, to celebrate the Association’s 100th Birthday (a list of attendees are on website). We had an excellent turnout, with everyone enjoying a fantastic evening, and contributed, via the raffle and donations towards our chosen charity of The Acorns Children’s Hospice. We were able to donate Â£1,000.00 to the Hospice and presented a cheque to them underneath the new OW Centenary clock, which is hung in the hall of Heathfield and chimes on the hour, every hour (pictures also on our website).

In the “Wolvernian-know”

Michael Clunas recalls meeting an OW from Sebright house, over 20years ago, who had attended school 1945-1951 and who had managed to save the House Books when Sebright closed. The House Books are an account of house life, term by term and were kept by the prefects. Does anyone know of there whereabouts? It would be nice to be able to endeavour to share them on the web with other OWs. RSVP to clunas.jm@virgin.net or the secretary.

John Evans, 1940-1949, now living in British Columbia, along with many others wants to know where on earth Michael Robotham and JPS Porter are. Any clues?? Email John at evans@island.net

Richard Richardson, 1979-1985 is wanting to say hello to anyone who remembers him, his life, he says, has been a rollercoaster; he wants to hear from Nina, Joanna, Dougie and the gang from leaving year 1985; richard.savage@bsmht.nhs.uk – Richard, come along to the dinner, most of them will be there!

Reginald Edwards (Eddie), now in Arkansas, 1944-1951, would like to hear form David White, Ted Cotterel, John Grant etc.etc.. in fact any OW from his era, contact him at terrynreg@gbasicisp.net

Joanna Apperley, 1981-1987 has submitted her B2B details, for james@itsalons in Bewdley and Cleobury Mortimer; good luck in your business venture!

If you wish to contact any of the above and don’t have this new-fangled email, please contact the secretary for more conventional means of contact!

Garden Party 2006

Saturday 1st July 2006 was a warm and sunny day. The Parents Association raised in the region of Â£3300.00 for the school. The afternoon had run for longer than usual, as a large screen had been set up in the Fallows Hall to show a World Cup Football Match. The bar ran dry and had to be topped up several times!

Despite there being no May reminder letter, there were a number of OWs in attendance, Don Cox, David Marshall and his fellow OWs, Graham Herbert, Jack Baker, Allan Wood, Nina Burkett, Ben Chinn, Lyndon Griffiths, Lyndsey Griffiths and OWs who now have children (and grandchildren) at school.

It was very nice to see George Sinton, former Headmaster of Heathfield, in attendance and looking so well.

Next year the OWs will to be in attendance with a stall, even more photos and memorabilia.

Lost & Found

We are pleased to see that via our website and the post we are welcoming back lost OWs:

Dr Mike Creedy Smith, 1939-1942, justincreedysmith@free.fr

Andrew Taylor, 1968-1975, andymtaylor@hotmail.co.uk

Joanna Apperly, 1981-1987; droolian@tiscali.co.uk

Ian Scott, 1961-1963

Graham Edwards, 1953-1959; adzedesignservices@btinternet.com

James Billingsley, 1939-1945; jimwyn01@aol.com

M Paul W Fryer, 1955-1960; paulwardley.fryer@virgin.net

Martin Igoe, 1961-1964; martin@justyachts.co.uk

Richard Gilley, 1959-1966; gilleyr@ozemail.com.au

Simon Gilley, 1975-1983; pegleg@fsmail.net

Hugh Jones, 1961-1966, hlkjones@supanet.com

Matthew Chance, 1995-2001; matthiaschance@gmail.com

Simon Nicholson, 1971-1985; simon.Nicholson@ie.ey.com

Stuart Davies, 1950-1955, daviess@wanadoo.fr

Peter Gough, 1960-1966, peter.gough@lycos.co.uk

Nino Pelopida, ninopelopida@btinternet.com, (staff) 1971-1985

In Memoriam

I am very sorry to have to notify the news of the death of the following OW

John Sims

Very sadly John Sims passed away on the 7th July 2006, he was 80. His funeral was held at Wolverley Church on the 13th July 2006. The Secretary, David Reynolds and Graham Herbert from the OW Committee and many trust members and school officials attended the warm and touching family service officiated by Rev Shilvock.

John had attended 49 consecutive OW dinners, was a past President of the Association, as well as a past Secretary; he was also a Trustee of the School and sat on the Chapel Fund Trust.

Also a warm welcome to those other leavers joining the Association, having spent a least 2 years at Heathfield, over the age of nine. We hope to see you at the dinner when you reach the age of 18!

We hope you will all make use of the Association, it is there for you to enjoy, and we rely on our new recruits to keep the Association thriving.

Heathfield News

July 2006, saw Mrs Jean Hunt retire from her post of Headmaster’s secretary after over 30 years of committed and loyal service to the school. Jean is known to many OWs of the Heathfield era and served 6 Headmasters from Mr Alan Beams to the current Headmaster Mr Roger Brierly.

The Association are particularly grateful to Jean for all her help in administering the OW database, and keeping a track of us all! So we were delighted that our new President, Stephen Cresswell, was able to make a presentation to Jean on our behalf at School Final Assembly when a very fond farewell was bid. As Jean is an Honorary OW we look forward to seeing her at various OW events.

The School’s 2006 GCSE results are once again a testament to the Head and his team’s commitment, and the pupils’ diligence and hard work; as Heathfield achieved a fourth consecutive year of 100% pass rate (5 grade Cs and above including Maths and English). The Captain of School, Freneka Mumford, gained 10 A*. Congratulations to the whole of S5, July 2006.

I sincerely hope we will see you at our Dinner 101 on the 18th November, please DO make the effort to come along!!!!

The Chapel Fund provides financial assistance to Old Wolvernians and their families under the age of 30 for schooling and further education purposes. To apply, Old Wolvernians should contact Denys on 01562 822 336.

The Association would like to extended our thanks to Denys and his team – Andrew Page, Alan Higgs and John Sims for all the hard work they carry out on the Fund’s behalf.

Centenary Ball
Saturday 12th November 2005, 7pm

Many of you have already applied for tickets to our Centenary Ball on Saturday 12th November 2005, using the gold application forms sent out in our September letter. I am pleased to report that attendance numbers are already up on this time last year! November the 12th will be another memorable night.

If you have not yet applied for your tickets, please do so quickly using the PRIORITY red form enclosed with this letter. This will ensure that your applications are processed speedily and in good time to receive your tickets prior to the 12th November 2005.

Our wolverniansreinvented.com website has a copy of the ticket application form, details about the dinner and venue, and an early bird wine order list.

For those of you who need reminding or have misplaced your original letter, here’s a brief reminder:

Â· Welcome music provided by the pupils of Heathfield school
Â· 5-course dinner at the
Â· Menzies Stourport Manor Hotel, Stourport-on-Severn
Â· Post dinner happy hour at the bar
Â· Special offer wine prices from Nickolls & Perks, delivered chilled to your table
Â· The fabulous Retro Flyers band, playing until 1am
Â· Table competition and table entertainment!
Â· Prestigious raffle
Â· Chill out zones in the bars and lounges for those you want to catch up with old friends
Â· Reduced room rates, including full English Breakfast and use of leisure facilities (please phone the hotel direct on 01299 289 955)
Â· Dress – black tie or lounge suits
Â· Half priced tickets for OWs attending their first ever dinner.
Â· OWs may bring along guests.
Â· All proceeds being donated to Acorns Children’s Hospice.

Please feel free to phone on 01299 272210 if you need any information about your peers who are coming along; or if you are trying to contact that long lost pal from your school days.

Leon Levy and Gavin McClaren would like to make contact with the year of 1980 – they want to get a posse together to celebrate their silver jubilee!

Nina Burkett, Joanna Ashmore, Matt Finch and Dougie Anderson are gathering the year of 1985 to celebrate their having left school 20 years ago.

Anna Constantinou wants those from 1987 to come along and join in the fun!

Don Cox, the Isaac twins – Charles and Robin, and Justin Winchurch are trying to track down the leavers of the early 1950s

Rob Morris is bringing 50% of the year of 1998 – so needs the other four of you to come along and make it a full show!

If you are from the above eras, and would like to make contact with your old school friends, I can pass on their details; please contact me via any of the details listed on the top page.

Or perhaps, this has inspired you to get your friends together – I hope so!

Immediately prior to the Dinner we will be arranging:

Remembrance Service 1730 hours at Wolverley High School (formerly Sebright)

So, Gentlemen, dust off your dinner jackets and ladies hit the shops, and come along to the celebrate our 100th Anniversary!!

www.oldwolvernians.org.uk

Our website has now been updated, please take a moment to look around the site. You will find the following sections:-

Membership – for those past pupils who have never been on the OW mailing list and wish to sign up

News and Events – details of up and coming and past events – the Golf 2006 is advertised on here – please remember this is on Friday 12th May 2006; and this newsletter is the last postal notification you will receive prior to this event – please email, write or phone the secretary to register for the Golf 2006.

Change of Address/Details – for existing OWs who have moved; changed their email address or wish to update their details – for example give us your date of birth, years you were at Sebright/Heathfield or both, and your profession.

Gallery – you can email us your scanned photos from school – team photos, skiing trips etc.etc.. with a caption to post to the Gallery.

Newsletters – duplicates of the most recent newsletters posted on the site for those of us who find home filing tricky!

Chapel Fund – details of the chapel fund for OWs and their families in search of financial assistance for their schooling and further education

In the Wolvernian Know – message board and news board to post lost and found notices; information about yourself etc.etc..

B2B – advertise your business and its goods and services to other OWs – the ultimate â€œold boysâ€ network.

Jobs – well more Sits Vac on the OW committee – really; and they are all honorary – i.e. no salary!

If you don’t have access to the web, please send your change of address, contact details and any news you may wish to convey via post or phone so we may enlighten your peers and fellow OWs.

In the “Wolvernian-know”

Stewart Irwin kindly put pen to paper and wrote to me about his school days at Sebright in the 1930’s. A full copy of his memories are being posted on the website; and an excerpt will be included in the next Newsletter.

Don Cox has sent me his memories of the 1950’s which he is committing to paper for his grandchildren to read. Against extracts in our next newsletter and full account on our website.

Garden Party 2005

We had a successful time at the Garden Party at Heathfield on the 2nd July and manned an OW stall with â€œguess the OWâ€ and â€œguess the teacherâ€.

We drew quite a crowd with our display of Sebright and Heathfield photos – including some of pupils in the OTC complete with their putties and the some of a drama production, complete with old boys dressed in the female lead roles!

There were many current pupils and their parents interested in the photos; the dorms. and bathrooms of Heathfield as a prep boarding school looked austere; but compared to Stuart Irwin’s reminiscences were positively salubrious to those OWs used to the most basic of boarding arrangements!

Graham Herbert, Mr Pittaway, â€œFrankieâ€ Lane and Lyndsey Griffiths (all ex-Sebright) were there for lunch and we had a fair number of past Heathfield pupils in attendance; including Eve Uphoff (nee Burkett), Lyndon Griffiths, Julia Evans (nee Rees), Miles Griffiths, Hayley Seeley (nee Brazier), George Hale, Melanie Hesketh (nee Kirke) and Allan Wood, along with your President Andrew Constantinou. Also Mr Alan Higgs, Ex Heathfield & Sebright and the current Chairman of the Trustees was there for the afternoon. We all enjoyed the good weather, excellent lunch (and teas!) and spent our money on the items for sale on the various stalls.

Next year we will to be in attendance with even more photos and memorabilia.

Goodbyesâ€¦.

Peter Fawcett is moving from Northallerton in December this year and feels that having paid Â£5.00 for his lifetime subscription in 1938, has had good value for money and has requested we take him off our database! Peter, thank you for your support and kind words.

Steven Thomas of Blakedown requests that we remove him from our database.

In Memoriam

I am very sorry to have to notify the news of the deaths of the following OWs

G S Haywood of Fillets Farm, Bridgnorth, Shropshire

B A Richards, of Holme Close, Weybridge

Philip Round of Hagley

W E Paul Laxton, aged 56, sadly passed away in November 2004, after a two-year battle with cancer. Paul’s widow, Judy, tells me that he had such fond memories of his days at Sebright and Paul had hoped to attend to the Dinner last year; but sadly it was not to be. I am sure many of you remember him and would l like me to pass on your sympathies to Judy.

Michael Aldersley, of Worcester, passed away in December 2000

Dr Bruce Marsden, of Crediton, Devon, passed away in August of this year.

Peter Dodd of Horton, Sth Gloucestershire, passed away in June of this year.

We hope you will all make use of the Association – it is there for you to enjoy – and we rely on our new recruits to keep the Association thriving.

Heathfield News

After over 30 years of committed and loyal service to the school, Mr George Sinton retired as Headmaster in July 2005. A very fond farewell was said at School Final Assembly.

The School’s 2005 GCSE results are testament to George and his team’s hard work and commitment, as Heathfield achieved a third consecutive year of 100% pass rate (5 grade C’s and above). The Captain of School, Zarino Zappia gained 10 A*. Congratulations to the whole of S5, July 2005.

George has always been a great supporter of the Association and I would like to formally thank him for all the help and assistance he has given us over the years.

George is an honorary Association member and we hope to see him at OW events in the future. In the meantime, I am sure that you will all join me in wishing George a very relaxed and happy retirement!

Also, we wish a warm welcome and every success to the new head, Mr Roger Brierly, who joins Heathfield from Malvern College.

I sincerely hope we will see you at the Centenary Ball on the 12th November, please DO make the effort to come along!!!!

The observant amongst you, or perhaps those of you who weren’t 16 in 1905, will have noticed an addition to our letterhead!

This year sees the one-hundredth anniversary of the formation of the Old Wolvernian Association. As you know we don’t need much of an excuse for a celebration, so the coming year promises to be spectacular.

Although originally formed to encourage fellowship of past pupils of Sebright school, since its sad demise in 1970, we have continued to flourish as an Association; welcoming Old Wolvernians from Heathfield (which is now a very successful, league table leader, co-educational school for children from ages 3 months to 16 years, their site is www.heathfieldschool.co.uk).

To celebrate our Centenary Year we are organising events over the next 12 months to tempt you to join us, instead of being just a â€œcouch potatoâ€ Old Wolvernian!!

So please read on, and put the following dates on your blackberry, psion, filofax, calendar, diary or just a knot in your handkerchief will doâ€¦.

Commemorative Gift.

To commemorate our Centenary the Association Committee has decided to mark the occasion by donating a clock to the School; this will be engraved with our crest and centenary dates and will hang in the front hall at Heathfield School. Any OWs who would like to make a contribution to this gift, should send a cheque made payable to â€œOWAâ€ to the Secretary.

Yes, that’s this coming Saturday!!!! No excuse not to remember thisâ€¦.

This year, for the first time in many years, the Old Wolvernian Association is manning a stall. â€œSpot the Old Wolvernian/Teacherâ€ will be the theme of our game; with prizes of an mp3 player and champagne to be won; this alone has to be the reason to come along and join the fun at the Garden Party.

Our President, Andrew Constantinou, will have the onerous task(?) of welcoming those OWs who attend at the licensed bar.

Please come along and introduce yourself, you will be able to spot Andrew as he will be modelling one of our new OW polo shirts (for sale to OWs wanting to strut their stuff), so we can treat you to an iced beverage, alcoholic or otherwise. Other willing helpers will be manning the stall, where we hope to display OW memorabilia, and will be spreading the word about what a wonderful Association we are to the current pupils at Heathfield, who, of course are our up and coming recruits and will carry us into our second century!

The School and Parent’s Association are offering a Garden Party Lunch to be served between 12:30 and 1:30pm, there is a cold buffet choice of Salmon,
Carvery or Vegetarian Option with salads and rolls, desserts or cheese and biscuits. Please contact the school office to book your lunch at Â£8.00 per adult, Â£5.00 per child, on 01562 850 204.

Our customary dinner this year will be replaced with a Centenary Celebration Ball; the showcase of the Centenary Year.

This will be a black tie occasion with all the razzmatazz you would expect, sumptuous 5-course dinner, music and dancing and a few other surprises thrown in for good measure.

To be held on Saturday the 12th November 2005 at the newly redecorated Menzies Hotel in Stourport-on-Severn. Tickets are already available at Â£30.00 each; we expect demand to be high, as it was with our millennium dinner, so please book early to reserve your spaces.

Please phone the secretary for details of how to reserve your tickets ahead of our September newsletter, or use the online Tickets form, please visit the events website www.wolverniansreinvented.com for details, or write to me if you prefer.

This is the resurrection of the OWA Golf Day, for which we are very grateful to have a prestigious silver presentation cup, donated to the Old Wolvernian Golfing Society by R W Sandilands in 1964. Appropriately enough, Bob now lives at Golf Links Road!

The 2005 match was played on Wednesday 11th May, some photos are now on the website and we have our President’s report below:

â€œTiger Woods may not be trembling in his plus-fours at the thought of facing the assembled golfing might of the Old Wolvernians, but nevertheless the first golf day since September 1996 took place at Wharton Park Golf Club, Bewdley.

Will Gardner and Allan Wood did a great job in organising the day and even arranging superb sunny weather for us!

After lunch on the clubhouse balcony, the competition got underway and all agreed that the course had been in great condition and was in no way to blame for any of our shortcomings!

As the OWA golfers returned throughout the afternoon, the tension built – would Will Gardner be relieved of his title as OWA Golf Champion 1996?

The presentations took place after dinner with Rod Wassell, Andrew Constantinou and Richard Parkin taking the team prize, Will Gardner securing the big-hitting prize for â€œThe Longest Driveâ€, Andrew Constantinou won â€œNearest the Pinâ€ and the ultimate prize to Allan Wood as the new OWA Golf Champion, and custodian for the evening of the Old Wolvernian Golfing Society Cup. Congratulations Allan! (The handicap committee will be looking closely at you for the next event!).

A fantastic day – let’s not leave it 9 years again.â€

Quite right, the next date is fixed for Friday 12th May 2006 – if you wish to receive an information pack about the day, including tee off times and costs, please contact the Secretary or use the website form, so we can mail you nearer the time (I regret, mailing costs restrict us from mailing the whole database for this one event).

Guests are welcome to join OWs for the Golf Day, as they can enter their own competition that runs concomitantly with the OWA Golfing Society Cup.

There is a dinner after the golfing, that any non-golfers or golfers partners are invited to attend.

We look forward to you registering your interest.

Commemorative Memorabilia.

To recognise the significance of the Centenary Year, we are commissioning some new Limited Edition OW memorabilia.

A Centenary tie in fashionable tonal colours (with a nod only towards the OWA traditional colours of navy, burgundy and gold) in 100% silk, with discreet OWA centenary label. Definitely one for those city wheelers and dealers.

High quality fleeces for winter walks, skiing, surfing and other athletic activities.

In addition to the above, our regular OWA ties and gold cufflinks are still available.

Images and prices of all of the merchandise will be on the website, www.oldwolvernians.org.uk from late July ’05.

Those of you without access to the internet, please contact the Secretary.

We want suggestions for a tie alternative for the female members of the association; what do you want to have? Please let us knowâ€¦..

In the “Wolvernian-know”.

Remember to please let us have information about your change of address, contact details and any news you may wish to convey about your life, successes (or failures!); may be you have a question or information about “lost and found” OWs. Send your info to info@oldwolvernians.org.uk or by post, or â€˜phone, so we may enlighten your peers and fellow OWs.

Congratulations to Chris Pardoe who we hear is getting married this August – about time, Chris!

Ross Bellamy kindly wrote to me about his many memories from his days at school, it makes such good reading, I attach it here in full, it will no doubt bring back fond memories for those of you from that era and makes fascinating reading for the rest of us:
â€œWhen I entered Woodfield as a boarder in 1944, Newton was our Housemaster, and Henniker-Gotley who lived in Woodfield, was the Headmaster. We were introduced to tennis, a love that continues to this day, because we were allowed to use the grass court in front of the house. Later on 2 hard courts were built at the top of the aqueduct field, so called because the Elan Valley to Birmingham water pipelines ran under the School grounds with a pumping station by the main drive.
VE Day on the 8th May 1945 was celebrated with a huge round bonfire on the top playing field above the cricket pitch. It took what seemed like weeks to build (an exciting project for schoolboys in those days) and ages to burn. That was followed by the harshest winter in living memory. 1947 saw thick snow on the ground for 8 weeks, no rugger all term, but cross-country runs galore. I remember Rath, a day boy, who cycled to school each day winning the competition mainly due to his natural fitness. We also tobogganed, using what was called “the rugger slope”. Stanley Baldwin House built a huge 8 seater for the purpose, which probably won’t be allowed in the PC times of today

We had a great and very well respected Staff, JAR Robinson Geography and long Sunday walks; Poppa Jeffs Maths, pulling at the lobe of his ear “well goodness me boy”, his walks were always brisk; Hutinson History, who later became our Housemaster; Cornwall English, who could not stand the smell of oranges which we peeled out of sight; Phillips Physics & ? Chemistry, Stanley Baldwin’s Housemaster; Hall was the Bursar, such a kind man; Tom Sayner (late East Yorks Regt) and very much a Sgt Major was in charge of PT. The CCF was very active with field days at Habberley Valley, and the assault course built behind the Assembly Hall (Wisdom Knowledge & Understanding inscribed on the proscenium arch). The unit was based on Bury Hall, which we went to for training sessions. It served me well, when I did my NS; and perhaps encouraged a number to go into the Regular Army, such as Hudson, Freeman, and Lungmass.
Alan Beams was in the same year as me, and he went on to become the first Headmaster at Heathfield. Others whom I remember; Dickie Oliver who rode in the Grand National, Jones C.R and Jones D.E, identical twins, and like Poole came from local farming families, Clunas who was keen on mountaineering, and Pheby who went off whaling in the Antarctic. John Fordham who got his Degree at Birmingham University, went off to work on the St.Lawrence Seaway project.
En route to the village church, we passed the original School with 1620 above the doorway; and Sebright itself became a Public School when it was admitted to the Headmasters Conference. At about that time Eric Knight became another boarding house, I believe as a gift to the school with its extensive grounds, making four in all.
They were happy days, not perfect, central heating was only just adequate, the tuck shop had a small stock, but then our pocket money of a Â£1 a term issued weekly went much further than it would today.
Others I hope will add their store of memories, to a chapter in history, which changed forever when Sebright itself closed after some 350 years in existence.
My last memory is of the little motto over the Woodfield tuck box room “READY, AYE, READY”â€ Thank you, Ross!!

If you have any fond memories of school and would like to share them with us; please let me know.

Sad News

Unfortunately, I have heard today that Bill Andrews, past Chairman of the Trustees of Heathfield School for many years, sadly passed away last night. Bill was instrumental in orchestrating the change that enabled Heathfield to become the prep and boarding school that survived the demise of Sebright in 1970. We are all indebted to his hard work and enthusiasm in fighting to keep the school open. His funeral is provisionally 1st July at noon at Stourbridge Crematorium; no flowers, but donations to be shared between Heathfield School and Hagley Cricket Club. Bill is survived by his wife, Marion and their sons, and old Wolvernians, Andrew and Rick.

Also, I have received news of the sad passing of the following Old Wolvernians:

G S Haywood of Fillets Farm, Bridgnorth

B A Richards of Weybridge, Sebright 1935 – 1941

Philip Round, of Hagley who attended Sebright circa 1930.

Paul Laxton, of Cilgwyn, Sebright 1962 – 1966, who sadly passed away last November after a long and hard fought battle against cancer.

Hopefully you will have enjoyed our newsletterâ€¦..

I hope we will see many of you over the coming 12 months to join us in our OWA Centenary celebrations.